It’s no secret that our world is increasingly becoming more digitized. Where we once had customer service agents, we now have apps. Where there were retail outlets, we now have online platforms and overnight delivery. “Bites” have become “bytes,” as even fast food can be ordered with your smartphone.

Some personal interactions remain intact, however. Think of the person who walks into a branch location to set up a utility service or open a bank account. There are also times when utility providers or other service people must come to our homes to check a meter, make a repair, or deliver an item.

Overcoming language barriers during these face-to-face interactions frequently presents a challenge, which often leads to frustration for multicultural customers.

One in five of our neighbors here in the United States speaks a language other than English at home. That’s more than 65 million people—25 million of whom say they speak English less than well. Another 10.6 million Americans are deaf or hard of hearing.

More organizations are recognizing the power of video remote interpreting (VRI) as a way to connect with people face-to-face. It’s especially useful for communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing and in situations when more personal interaction is needed.

These were the words of Nassau County (NY) Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder on Wednesday when he announced the implementation of the LanguageLine InSight Video Interpreting application in patrol vehicles.

The interpretation service was already available in police precincts, headquarters, and other buildings. The addition of the interpreting application to officers’ cell phones allows them to communicate on-demand with residents using a video interpreter in 36 languages (including American Sign Language), as well as 240 languages in audio-only.

“It’s one way that we’re proving that every single person in Nassau County – in our growingly diverse county – will be respected and be protected,” County Executive Laura Curran said.

It’s no wonder that when Gonzalez was trained on LanguageLine InSight, a video-interpreting solution that delivers on-demand access to professional linguists in 36 languages at the touch of a button, he thought the technology was heaven-sent.

Like physicians, pharmacies play an important role in empowering patients to take charge of their health

Unfortunately, language barriers often make it more difficult for non-English-speaking customers to ask important questions about their medication, take it as directed, and be aware of potential side effects.

As pharmacies serve increasingly diverse populations, language access is becoming more important than ever.

The Center for Immigration Studies reports that one in five Americans (65 million people) speaks a language other than English at home. Just over of 40 percent of these individuals is considered Limited English Proficient (LEP), meaning they speak English “less than very well” and are entitled to assistance. This LEP group constitutes about nine percent of the total U.S. population.

Language barriers can pose serious health risks to LEP customers. Research has shown that those with little knowledge of English often do not have a good understanding of their medication instructions.

Here are a few ways language access can help pharmacists empower their customers.